Chapter 3

A Story Of A Captain

"Captain Mackenzie is...unhappy about something also isn't he?" Fina asked as she got ready for bed.

"He has good reason to be," Moegi sighed as she gathered up some papers on a table and stacked them neatly.

"Why is he so sad? Is it something to do with me?"

"No, no, He's been like that since the end of the Crystalline War. Since the destruction of Old Valua actually."

Fina paused as she got into bed.

"But that was over five years ago, how can he still be so sad?"

Moegi sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Maybe I should tell you the story of the Captain. It might help you understand more."

Fina nodded and lent back on the pillows.

Moegi took a deep breath and began.

"Daniel Marcus Mackenzie was born in the dark alleyways of Lower City. But despite his gloomy home country, it was said that the man never ever frowned. He always had a smile on his face and was always ready to lend a hand to anyone who required it.

He wasn't a big fan of the Old Valuan Empire's ways of expansion, and so worked for a salvaging company which did work for Valua, but several other places in Mid Ocean as well. By the time he was eighteen, he was salvaging large Valuan battleships."

"In fact," came a slightly cold voice, "I was salvaging the Aquila when the rains hit."

The two women looked up and gasped.

Standing in the doorway was the captain, his eyes narrow.

The captain took off his hat and bowed, before standing up and staring and Moegi and Fina coldly.

"With respect Your Majesty," he said icily, "I don't like my past being told to everyone who comes to the Palace, so kindly refrain fromdoing it without my permission if you please?"

Moegi looked at Mackenzie stonily, but lowered her gaze after looking at the cold hard stare she received from the Captain.

After a moment he turned back to Fina.

"The Valuan Empire had been sent word from the Sailors Guild, that a sailor they refused to name had located the wreckage of the Aquila, a ship that had sunk while under siege from Black Pirates. The ship belonging to the late Admiral Mendosa, who was killed by your friend, Ramirez Silvairian. The ship we had been given was a new model, one that could puncture through Sky Rifts and Stone Reefs, as well as reach new heights and depths.

Upon finding the Aquila, we discovered that the ship was unsalvageable and decided to leave it in peace.

As we rose up from the depths, we saw the rains come from the Yellow Moon once more.

Out of the five of us who were on that ship, I was the only one from Valua.

When we returned to Valua, there was nothing left."

He closed his eyes and clenched his hand into a fist.

"I lost everything that day. My mother, my sister Elizabeth, they both died when our house collapsed under a large moonstone that fell from the sky, with them in it. I had been saving the money I earned to buy them a better house, a house in Upper City, or at least a clean one. Because of some psychopathic moron who thought he could rule the world, I LOST EVERYTHING!"

His eyes showed pure passionate anger, his hands were balled so tightly into fists that his nails dug into his skin.

Tears now ran freely down his cheeks, his whole body shaking with anger.

Finally he managed to recompose himself and picked up his hat from the floor, dusting it off and putting it under his arm, for he ha dropped it when he had released his anger.

"After the Crystalline War, I was one of the first survivors to sign up to protect New Valua. Out of all the survivors, I appeared to be the most skilled sailor, and so, was given command of the Delphinus when the Emperor was given it back by the so-calledKing of Rogues.

I joined for the simple reason, I didn't want anyone else to feel the pain I felt on the day I returned to Valua.

So now you know Miss. Silvairian. I hope you are happy."

Fina looked at the Captain with sadness. She now saw who the captain really was. He wasn't a hard stern captain, he was simply a man who had lost everything. The hardness of his appearance was only skin deep, inside he was crying out in pain and anguish, even after all these years.

"I feel sorry for you Captain Mackenzie, it is obvious that you felt much for your family, the ones you loved. But what I don't understand is why you won't move on. The Crystalline War was over five years ago. You must let go if you want to move on.

I see who you are Captain. You have the appearance of a stern and by the book man, but on the inside, you are scared and in pain. You want to scream out to the world your anguish of the loss of you family. But instead you hide behind a tough exterior.

You need help Captain, you need to talk."

The captain's eyes widened, clearly taken aback.

He had suddenly turned from a cold, stern captain, to a scared and fearful young man.

He slowly backed out of the room.

Before he left, he managed to get out;

"The Delphinus leaves for Crescent Isle In the morning, I will see you there at 10 o'clock sharp."

And with that he had the left the room, slamming the door as he left.

He walked stiffly back to his home.

She had got to him, and he was furious at himself for showing weakness in front of her.

He came to the front door of his house and slammed the door shut, before slumping into one of his armchairs by a a cold fireplace.

He didn't know what had come over him, all he could think about was Fina, her shy nature, her petite form, her brilliant Aquatic green eyes...

He shook himself, he had to get her out of his head. She was starting to get to him. Her eyes had looked so innocent...

No! he didn't understand why he kept thinking about her. It was like he liked her or something. Besides, even if he did like her, what were the odds of her liking him back? She was still getting over the fact Vyse had loved Aika. There was no chance in the six moons that she would ever fall for him.

Her soft words suddenly came back to him;

"You must let go if you want to move on."

Bah! What did she know, she hadn't lost anyone to the rains.

"No, but she did lose the Elders of the Silver Shrine" said a voice in his head, "That was kind of like her family."

He closed his eyes, he couldn't let the memory of his family die.

But why did Fina keep invading his thoughts? Why couldn't he stop thinking about her? Could he possibly...like her? Could he possibly...love her?

He closed his eyes, and slumped in his chair.

He pictured Fina in his mind. Yes he had to admit, she was attractive. A picture of innocence. All the 'curves in the right places' as Admiral Vigoro often said. So small and helpless, he could see why Vyse had been so protective of her...despite the fact he in the end fell inlove withAika.

He sighed to himself. He didn't know what to do. Perhaps his feelings would change as this voyage went on. He couldn't love anyone, he just couldn't. and no one could love him, not anymore,he was far to stubborn.

He sighed again and headed off to bed, he hoped that maybe he would forget her after this voyage, but something told him that would not be so.

Fina lay in the darkness of her room, trying to sort out her life.

There had been something in the Captains eyes when he had first looked at her, a look that he had hoped Vyse might have given her, but it had only been for a split second.

The captain had been happy once, maybe even in love, But then the rains came, and he had been totally devastated.

She felt so sorry for him, yet when ever she thought about poor Daniel Mackenzie, she found herself flushing red.

He was tall and muscular, and his eyes...his eyes were hazelnut brown, which matched his dark brown hair.

She sighed as she snuggled down under the bed covers.

She was lost in her thoughts, but as she drifted off into blissful slumber, she found herself dreaming of Captain Daniel Marcus Mackenzie.